James Potter and his new friends
by Marie4
Summary: James Potters first year, go with him on his voyage of self discovery, meet his friends and his enemies, and learn about the school life of our favourite young wizards father. *COMPLETE* The sequel will emerge in the next couple of days. Please R/R
1. The Letter

Disclaimer - I own only what you don't recognise; the rest belongs to the wonderful J. K. Rowling.  
  
Chapter 1 - The letter  
  
James Potter woke to the sound of tapping on his bedroom window. It wasn't even dawn yet, what was that owl thinking of. He mumbled something incomprehensible and was just about to roll over and go back to sleep when he remembered what the day was. His eyes snapped open and he leapt out of bed, running to the window and flinging it open, allowing the morning air to chase away the last of his sleepiness. Today was his 11th birthday. He tried to tell the owl that, but it didn't seem that impressed, it just ruffled it's feathers in an important sort of way and clicked his beak haughtily. Ha gave up trying to explain his cheerfulness to the owl and decided instead to open the letter it was carrying. His heart leapt as he felt the heavy parchment and saw the emerald green ink on the envelope.  
  
Mr J. Potter The end bedroom 27 Pond drive Little Frogton Essex  
  
He grinned as he opened the envelope and read the letter,  
  
HOWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)  
  
Dear Mr Potter,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.  
  
Yours sincerely  
  
Professor McGonagall Deputy Headmistress  
  
And then, unable to contain his excitement any longer, he let out a great whoop of delight. At the top of his voice, he called "I'm going to Hogwarts, I'm going to Hogwarts!" as he danced happily around the room. "That's great son," a sleepy male voice called from the next room "go back to bed."  
  
James didn't go back to bed, he was just too excited, but he did stop shouting. He gave the uppity bird a drink from his own owl's water bowl before it left, ruffling it's feathers at him one more time, before spreading it's huge wings and gliding gracefully out of the windows and into the sunrise.  
  
In all the excitement of getting the letter, James had almost forgotten it was his birthday, so he was surprised when he saw a small cloud of brown feathers approach the window and four owls flutter in, each carrying a card. His own owl Selene was among them. She was also carrying a card and present and looking extremely pleased with herself. She floated over to him, dropping her parcel onto the bed and perched on his shoulder, nibbling his ear affectionately. James decided to open the other packages first. He found cards, sweets and a book about his favourite Quidditch team, Puddlemere United from different members of his family. He resisted the urge to open the book right away and turned his attention to Selene's parcel. It was from Peter Pettigrew. His parents were friends with James' parent and he and James had been forced to spend time together for years. It's not that James didn't like Peter exactly, but Peter was, well dull. There was no other word for it. He was a bit thick, and a bit of a coward really. He read the card first,  
  
Dear James,  
Happy birthday. Did you get your letter yet? Of course you did, you're too clever not to. I got mine too (James groaned softly to himself) so I'll see you on the 1st of September to get on the Hogwarts express. Have a good day, Peter  
  
Oh well, James thought, maybe we'll be put into different houses. James was hoping he's be put into Gryffindor like his parents. He reckoned Peter would be put into Hufflepuff. He sighed, and opened his present. "Wow", he said, as he opened a jar of Fleetwood's high finish broom handle polish. James loved his broomstick, and Quidditch. It was the best game in the world. It was a shame first years weren't allowed their own brooms. He also wished he'd get onto the house team, but he knew it wasn't very likely, as the last time a 1st year was on a house team was about 70 years ago. Never mind, he could try, and if he didn't get on, he could try again next year.  
  
He took his presents downstairs and found his parents and sister sitting at the kitchen table. "So you got your letter then?" Said his father, grinning "How did you guess?" Replied James innocently, but he was grinning too as he filled his plate with bacon and eggs. "Your mother and I have something for you." His dad smiled as he handed him a large parcel. "I do too", piped up his little sister, Cara. "Thanks Cara" James said, taking his sisters present and smiling when he opened a box of chocolate frogs, she must've saved her pocket money for weeks to buy him that. He loved his little sister to bits, she was special, so sweet, kind and generous. He kissed her forehead and ruffled her long dark hair. She shrieked happily about how long she took doing her hair that day, but James just laughed and did it again before he opened the present from his parents. He found a beautiful hawk feather quill, a bottle of ink and a huge leather bound book entitled 'Hogwarts, a history' "Thanks dad, mum" he said, grinning and hugging them both. "You're welcome dear" said his mum "now come on Cara, let's go shopping." With a cheery wave, the pair of them left for the supermarket, leaving James and his father alone at the breakfast table.  
  
"Now son, I've got something else for you, but don't go telling your mother, or your sister, this one's a secret." Intrigued, James opened the small, squashy package. Inside he found a silvery and fluid looking cloak. It was very unusual material, almost watery, but it, of course, wasn't. "It's an invisibility cloak, I had so much fun with it at school and I wanted you to have it."  
  
James opened his mouth to say thank you, but no sound came out, Instead he grinned at his father, who grinned back.  
  
"Don't tell your mother!" His dad said, "She'll kill me!" 


	2. Diagon Alley

Chapter 2 - Diagon Alley  
  
James had always loved going to Diagon Alley, it was the most amazing place. He'd been looking forward to doing some real shopping there for years. Most of all, he wanted a wand. A week before the start of term he and his father were in Diagon Alley shopping for his school things. He would be going to Hogwarts in a week; he was having difficulty getting his head round it. James couldn't remember when he'd been more excited. They'd bought his books for Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Astrology and all the other subjects he'd be taking. He'd been to Madame Mulkin's and bought his school robes, he'd also got his telescope, cauldron and scales. His wand was all that he had left to buy.  
  
His father tried to tease him by trying to tempt him over to the ice cream store. The young man that owned the place, Florean Fortesque was a very interesting and knowledgeable wizard, and his ice creams were fantastic, but even ice cream couldn't distract him from his mission to find a wand and to be able to do real magic at last. He had, of course been making things blow up for several years now, and his mother had starting making sure anything valuable was out of reach whenever he got upset.  
  
He and his father wandered into Mr Ollivander's wand shop. He sat down on the spindly chair, trying hard to be quiet, as this didn't seem like the sort of place he could be loud. There was a girl there already trying out different wands. She didn't seem to be having much luck. Finally, Mr Ollivander handed her one that worked, he watched as green and silver stars shot from the end. "Marvellous" said Mr Ollivander, sounding delighted. "Ten and a quarter inches, willow, quite swishy. Perfect for charm work, unicorn hair core. The girl blushed as she noticed James sitting there. She had very pale skin, dark red hair and brilliant green eyes. James looked at her and felt quite uncomfortable as those eyes landed on her, but he had no idea why. The girl paid for her wand and left, smiling, calling goodbye to Mr Ollivander and looking for her parents.  
  
"Well now Mr Potter, I've been expecting you." James started. How on earth did Mr Ollivander know his name? "Come, come" he said, "let's take some measurements." He whipped out a tape measure and started measuring the length of his arm, his leg, his height, the distance between his nostrils. "Which arm's your wand arm?" he asked. "Right" replied James confidently; he'd always been right handed.  
  
"Ok, try this one, 11 inches, teak, dragon heartstring." He picked it up, nothing happened, "Ok, this one then." He didn't have any luck with that one either, or the next one, or the next one for that matter. Until finally, Mr Ollivander exclaimed "I know, try this one, 11 inches, mahogany, unicorn tail hair, pliable, quite powerful." He picked it up and waved it, he immediately felt a warm tingling all the way up his arm and a fountain of green and gold stars shot out of the end. "Wonderful, Mr Potter, just wonderful." Exclaimed Mr Ollivander, as he took the box down from the shelf. It was next to an empty space where the wand the girl before him had bought had been. Mr Ollivander seemed to have noticed this too, and was looking at James intently. It made James feel incredibly odd indeed; he wished he'd stop. "Er, excuse me sir, could I, erm, pay for this?" Said James nervously after a few seconds. "What, oh yes, that'll be 7 galleons please." James paid him and left the shop, he shivered to himself, he didn't think he liked Mr Ollivander very much. 


	3. Platform nine and three quarters

Chapter 3 - Platform 9 ¾  
  
In no time at all the last week of the holidays had disappeared as it so often did and it was September the 1st. His trunk was packed and he was on his way to King's Cross station to catch his train to Hogwarts. He was standing next to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, getting ready to walk through to platform 9 ¾ (he'd never done it before but his parents had told him how easy it was) when he noticed the girl from the wand shop. She was standing with her family, (mum, dad and a very sullen looking sister) and looking desperately around. She was obviously from a muggle (non-magic) family and didn't know how to get onto the platform. "One second, go through, I'll meet you in a minute." James told his parents and approached the girl. "Are you trying to get to the Hogwarts Express?" He asked her, trying to sound kind "Yes, but we can't figure out how to get to platform 9 ¾. Do you know?" She had a soft voice, almost musical, James thought. "Yep, you see, you've got to walk through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Don't think you're going to bang into it, that's very important." She looked doubtful, "Why don't you come through with me, we can take it at a run if you like, your parents can watch and follow or you can say goodbye to them here." He watched as she looked at her parents, "Goodbye dear," said her mum, "You'll write won't you?" "Of course I will. Goodbye mum, dad. 'Bye Petunia." Petunia (James supposed this was her sister's name) didn't reply, she just looked sulkier. "You ready?" He asked the girl "As I'll ever be." She replied, grinning nervously at him. "Let's go."  
  
James took a deep breath, trying not to let her see how nervous he really was, he was supposed to be the knowledgeable one after all. The pair of them ran forward, trunks in front. The girl had her eyes closed as they fell forward, breathing heavily into platform 9 ¾. He saw the girl's eyes open wide with amazement. James knew how she felt. A huge, shiny red steam engine was standing in front of them. She looked at him, and said shyly "Thanks." "You're welcome, I'm James Potter by the way." "Lily, Lily Evans" "Well, nice to meet you Lily, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon enough." James said to Lily, smiling at her in what he hoped was a charming way, the same smile that he usually gave his elderly aunts to prompt them into slipping him a few Galleons. She smiled back and headed towards the train. James turned to look for his parents, and his heart sunk when he saw them talking to the Pettigrews. Peter grinned at him, and James silently prayed to himself, hoping that Peter had not seen him talking to a girl. "Who was that?" He asked "Never you mind." James replied shortly. Peter went red, and James felt a little bit ashamed of himself for snapping at him, but he shook it off and went to say goodbye. "Bye mum, bye dad" He said. "Don't get into trouble, okay?" His mum said and his dad winked. James grinned and told them he's be as good as gold. "Bye Cara, I'll write often ok?" Cara was crying. He gave her a big hug, kissed her forehead and ruffled her hair. She laughed through the tears and hugged him back. "I'll see you soon sweetie, you'll be at Hogwarts yourself in a couple of years." With that he got his trunk and walked with Peter onto the train.  
  
There weren't very many free compartments by this time, and he and Peter found themselves in a compartment with another boy, about the same age as themselves. He had a round, cheerful sort of face and black hair. He grinned at them as they came into the compartment and introduced himself as Sirius Black. James introduced himself and Peter who was looking very nervous indeed. Sirius looked curiously at him for a second and then turned his attention to James. "So.. Erm, you play Quidditch?" He asked, in an attempt to start a conversation. Fortunately, that was the best topic to pick, because before anyone realised what was happening, they were all talking animatedly about their favourite Quidditch teams and the journey seemed to take no time at all.  
  
They had been talking for about an hour, although it seemed a lot shorter than that before they heard the commotion outside. James stuck his head out of the door and saw two boys, both of whom also looked as though they too could be first years, although that was where the resemblance stopped. One boy was quite small and thin, pale and bordering on ill looking. He had light brown hair and was wearing a slightly scared expression. The object of this fear was the other boy, who was taller, also pale but with chin length, greasy jet black hair that stuck to the sides of his face. "I'm s- s- sorry" the smaller boy was saying "I didn't realise this carriage was reserved." Reserved? The Hogwarts carriages weren't reserved for anyone but the prefect, and this boy was certainly not a prefect. James snorted loudly, and both boys noticed him. The greasy haired boy turned his wand on James and eyed him suspiciously. James ignored him, and turned his attention to the smaller boy, "Come and sit in here with us, we haven't reserved a carriage, wasn't aware you could to be honest" he gave the other boy a nasty look "in fact I think that this lanky haired git has made that fact up so that he doesn't have to be sociable." He then promptly closed the door in his face, laughing.  
  
"So, Remus J Lupin," Sirius was saying "how came you to upset our new greasy haired bad tempered lying friend then?" "Well, I was sitting in the corner of the compartment on my own and I was just nodding off to sleep when I felt something hot by my right ear and I looked and saw that boy with his wand out. He said something about this compartment being reserved and pushed me out of the door, and that's when you found us. Thanks for that, by the way. Wait, how did you know my name?" Sirius laughed at him, holding up the small, battered suitcase that he was carrying which had the words "Remus J Lupin, Hogwarts" stuck on it. "Oh!" Lupin said, looking a bit embarrassed "that, my mum likes to label things, no idea why.." "Well, at least you'll never forget your name." Sirius said, laughing. They all laughed along with him and settled down to an energetic conversation about Quidditch, a discussion about Hogwarts houses and a Slytherin bashing session.  
  
James had no idea how long he'd been on the train, but it was beginning to get dark when the train pulled to a halt in a small train station. James supposed this was Hogsmeade, he'd read about it in 'Hogwarts a History', the book his parents had given him for his birthday. There was a lot of fog, but James could clearly make out a huge man. He was least twice James' height and then some. His hair was black and wild, but his crinkly black eyes that looked something like beetles were kind and laughing. Sirius told James that this was the groundskeeper's apprentice, Hagrid. The real groundskeeper, a man called Ogg, was a very old man, but he looked tough. "First years over here!" He was calling. He led them down a dark, narrow and slippery path, until he rounded the corner, and James saw the most magnificent building he'd ever seen. It was huge, with winged gargoyles at the gate. "Into a boat." The four boys piled into a boat together, and it started moving of it's own accord across a huge, black lake. Hagrid took up a boat all on his own, and it still looked somewhat precarious. "Duck!" Came a booming voice from the front, the boys all bowed their heads as the travelled under loads of think, low branches. Peter wobbled in his seat and looked as though he was going to fall in, but James and Remus grabbed him before he fell in, while Sirius doubled over laughing. James could tell he was going to like Sirius; he had a sense of humour.  
  
At the end of the trip, Mr Ogg led them towards a huge door and knocked three times. 


	4. The Sorting

Chapter 4 - The Sorting  
  
The great door opened, and young witch was standing there, looking very severe. She was wearing a maroon cloak and hat, and she had small square spectacles. Her hair was drawn back into a tight bun. She looked like someone you should take seriously. He didn't think he'd like to be on the wrong side or her.  
  
"Thank you Mr. Ogg, I'll take them from here." She said, sharply. She led them into a small room. "My name is Professor McGonagall. You will soon be invited to join the start of term banquet, but first you will need to be sorted into your houses. At Hogwarts, your House will be like your family, you will eat with them, sleep with them, spend your time in the common room with them, your successes will earn points for your house and your failures will lose them. In a minute the ceremony will begin. In the meantime, I advise you to take some time to, erm, tidy yourselves up a little." James looked around at the others, they were all looking very nervous. He saw her glance fall on his untidy hair and on the chocolate that had remained around Peter's mouth. "Do you know what we have to do?" He asked Sirius. He shrugged, "I did hear we had to wrestle a troll, but I think that's a bit of a scare story." He looked quite scared. James tried to smooth his hair down, but he gave up, his hair was simply a messy black mop on top of his head and James seriously doubted that it'd ever change. He'd asked his parents what he'd be expected to do several times, but all they did was to smile mysteriously and tell him that he'd find out when it was his turn. He didn't have very long to worry about the ceremony, however, as Professor McGonagall returned pretty quickly to take them into the great hall.  
  
There was a gasp of amazement as the first years looked around the hall. It was really quite amazing. There were four long tables full of students and another table at the front of the hall with the teachers sat at it. The ceiling had been enchanted to look like the sky outside, he'd read about it in Hogwarts, a history. It was foggy tonight; the stars were barely visible through the mist. He looked forward, following everyone's gaze to a small, four-legged stool and sat atop was a battered old wizards hat. James gawped at it, what were they supposed to do? He racked his brains, but nothing he'd read had given him even the slightest clue of what he was about to have to do. A vague feeling of panic was just beginning to wash over him until all of a sudden, the brim opened like a huge mouth and the hat started singing  
  
I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat, I hope you'll like my song? Slip me on your head I know where you belong About a thousand years ago When Hogwarts School began The founders picked their favourites But now they're dead and gone.  
  
It was Gryffindor who found the way  
  
He put some brains in me So I could tell you where to go Just try me, and you'll see Maybe you'll be in Gryffindor, With others just like you If you're chivalrous and brave You belong there too Perhaps you are a Ravenclaw Wise and glad to learn If your mind is ready Your place there you will earn. Maybe Hufflepuff will be your place Where they are loyal and fair If you don't mind a bit of work You'll make your home there. Finally there's Slytherin, For those of great ambition If you're cunning and sly You'll soon find your position You're safe with me I won't bite I can tell you now Where you'll sleep tonight!  
  
The hat bowed to all the tables in turn as the hall erupted into thunderous applause. So, they just had to try on the hat. 'That's not so bad as all that' thought James. Still, he'd prefer to be away from all those prying eyes. Sirius was looking relieved too, though Peter looked faintly sick and Remus also looked nervous, they, like James felt a bit weird about the rather large audience.  
  
"Anderson, Iris." She was the first; she stumbled forward nervously and sat on the stool. She put the hat on her head and it fell down over her eyes. She waited for a few second and the hat shouted HUFFLEPUFF. Sirius was next. He sauntered down to the hat, trying to look carefree, and failing James noticed. A few seconds later, the hat shouted GRYFFINDOR. The Gryffindor table started applauding loudly. James was starting to get lost in his own thoughts when Professor McGonagall's voice pulled him out of his reverie, "Evans, Lily." James glanced at her, he gave her an encouraging grin, she looked absolutely terrified. She sat on the stool, and the hat called GRYFFINDOR. There was a very strange feeling in the pit of his stomach when he realised that they would probably be in the same house. He couldn't figure out why he'd felt like that and he didn't have time to think about it, because as soon as he started to think it was Peter's turn "Pettigrew, Peter." He wandered down, looking as though he was about to faint. He put the hat on his head and waited. It was by far the longest yet, but finally it shouted GRYFFINDOR. James tried very hard to stifle the moan that was threatening to escape from his throat. He had thought he might be able to escape Peter, but obviously there was no chance of that now. Peter, looking very relieved sat down at the Gryffindor table. He saw that Remus was there too, he must have missed him being sorted while he was thinking about Lily.  
  
It was his turn. He barely heard his name being called as he walked towards the hat. He felt the eyes in the hall bearing down on him as he put the hat on his head, it slipped down over his eyes, just like it had with everyone else. He heard a little voice inside his head, "My my, what have we got here" the voice said "Lots of talent, certainly, a good brain, but Ravenclaw won't do. Loyal too, but I don't think Hufflepuff would work either. Very brave, certainly, oh, if you only knew how brave you could be. Very well, it's got to be GRYFFINDOR." It shouted out the last word for everyone to hear. With weak knees and a spinning head, James walked over to the Gryffindor table and sank into seat next to Sirius Black and waited until the last people were sorted.  
  
Finally, when 'Young, Michael' had been sorted, Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and stool and took them out of the hall.  
  
"Ahem, if I may have everybody's attention?" Professor Dumbledore had stood up at the staff table. The room fell quiet. Everyone liked and respected Dumbledore. "I have a few notices to give. First, I would like to make quite clear that the forbidden forest is just as it's name suggests, forbidden, as is the village of Hogsmeade to those below 3rd year. If you'd like to try out for the house Quidditch teams, then information will be posted onto your house notice boards in due time. I believe that is all, let the feast begin." He beamed down at his students as the golden plates and jugs in front of them suddenly filled themselves. There were all sorts of food, potatoes, meat, and vegetables and for some very strange reason, liquorice laces. James helped himself to everything he could reach and started to eat, now hat his nerves had gone, he was suddenly starving! For a while he listened rather than join in, preferring to eat the large selection of food in front of him. He soon warmed to Sirius, as he heard him talk about all the practical jokes he used to play at primary school. James wondered that he was ever allowed out of the house, if he'd done all those things he'd have been permanently grounded. Remus was very quiet; he didn't seem to want to talk much about his childhood (it didn't really matter because it seemed Sirius could talk enough for everyone). Peter sat and watched as James and Sirius started to laugh and joke. When everyone had eaten enough, the food disappeared and Dumbledore stood up again. "Well now you've all eaten your fill, I'd like to welcome the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Rheia Sabio." A rather tall and Spanish looking woman stood up and smiled as she heard the applause (and the wolf whistles from a few of the older students).  
  
Finally, led by a gangly sort of 5th year with flaming red hair, Arthur Weasley, round more and more corridors, up several staircases and demonstrating which steps to jump until they reached a portrait of a rather fat woman in a pink frilly dress. "Password?" She called, shrilly. "Chocolate Frog", said Arthur, he was obviously a prefect. The portrait swung open to reveal a round, comfortable room with lots of squashy chairs and a large roaring fire. Arthur directed the girls to their dormitories and led the boys to theirs. James found himself in another circular room with four, large four-poster beds. He, Sirius, Remus and Peter sank gratefully into bed, each choosing the one with their trunk at the end. James wanted to talk more, and he turned to ask Sirius what he'd made of the food but he found his eyes closing involuntarily and before he knew it, he was fast asleep. 


	5. The First Target

Chapter 5 - The first target  
  
The next day James awoke to the sound of rather noisy, excited chatter from the other boys in his dormitory. He now knew that Sirius had a brother, Regulus who was younger than he was. He was 8 (just like Cara) but he and he had three, large black dogs. His favourite Quidditch team was the Chudley Cannons and he liked causing trouble. About Remus he still knew very little. He was a bit of a mystery.  
  
They dressed and followed the crowd making their way downstairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. James concentrated on the walls, suits of armour, doors and paintings, he needed to learn where everything was, he didn't want to get lost, especially if he was going to be able to cause trouble. He mentioned this to the others, who were in complete agreement (except maybe for Peter, who looked petrified at the very thought). Sirius and Remus, however seemed to be up for causing as much chaos as possible, and as luck would have it, their first target presented itself that morning at breakfast, in the form of a Slytherin named Severus Snape. It was the same Slytherin, in fact who had tried to curse Remus on the train the previous day.  
  
As they ate breakfast at the Gryffindor table, eagerly anticipating the start of lessons, a group of 1st year Slytherin boys came in. In the lead was the slimy looking boy, quite tall for his age and skinny, with a curtain of greasy black hair and a distinctly large, hooked nose. He shot a disdainful look at the Gryffindor table before settling himself down on the Slytherin table. Remus leaned towards Sirius and James and hissed "Did you see that?" "Yeah," James whispered, "but what should we do about it?" "I dunno, suppose we'll have to think of something." Replied Sirius in an undertone. Snape was looking over at them, suspiciously. Sirius smiled innocently at him. "Better be careful, though," said Peter, he sounded terrified "I've heard he knows more curses than most of the 6th years, and we don't know any magic yet." "Speak for yourself" snorted Sirius, "I know a few useful little spells myself, and some of them are a bit dodgy, my father taught me." "I know a really good one!" Exclaimed Remus suddenly. It was a bit weird for Remus to be so emphatic that the others agreed at once, without even knowing what they were agreeing to.  
  
First lesson that day was potions, and very luckily for Remus, it was with the Slytherins. James was very interested to see what Remus would do. Sirius was beside himself with glee at the thought of the very first practical joke. Peter, on the other hand looked absolutely petrified. He was muttering under his breath and James kept hearing little snatches of it, things like "Expelled, first day, dangerous." And so on. James flashed him a grin and put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly, although he was privately thinking that he should go and find himself some other friends if he didn't like what they were doing. James was very pleased with his new found friends, they'd been at school one night and already they were plotting together to cause trouble, he couldn't imagine a better group of friends (with the exception of Peter, who, lets face it, was a bit of a wet blanket).  
  
They sat down with their brand new cauldrons near to the back of the room in what was plainly the Gryffindor side of the room, as all the Slytherin students had seated themselves together at the other side. Remus seemed to be making sure he had a clear view of Snape. James tore his attention away from Remus and Snape, he didn't want to look too suspicious, and focused it at the teacher at the front. She was a tall woman, with dark hair, a button nose and eyes so brown they were almost black. She would have been quite good looking if the look on her face didn't suggest that the class were all insects under a rock or something. "Good morning class, I am Professor Mechante. I am responsible for teaching you the art of Potion making. In this class you will learn how to make sleeping potions, poisons, antidotes and many other things besides. However, first things first, the register." She called the register, looking up after every name to see their face, surveying them thoughtfully, as though assessing their potential. Most didn't meet her gaze; she did look slightly alarming. Peter looked at the desk and even whimpered when she look over at him. James, on the other hand met her eyes almost defiantly. For a split second he thought he saw a flicker of approval flash across her eyes, but it disappeared so suddenly that James decided he must have imagined it.  
  
Professor Mechante set them to work on a simple cure for boils. They were in pairs, James was working with Peter, which was perhaps lucky, because Peter seemed to go to pieces at the thought of making a potion and always wanted to add the wrong thing at the wrong time. Fortunately James found it fairly easy and he was managing to keep Peter right and keep half an eye on what was going on in the rest of the room. They were sat behind Remus and Sirius and that meant they had a good view of the action. Remus seemed to be waiting for something, Sirius was elbowing him to make him hurry up, and Remus hissed back 'not yet'. Then, someone at the front of the room melted their cauldron, and while Professor Mechante hurried to them, and everyone around them climbed onto chairs to escape being covered with boils (like the poor girl at the front who'd obviously made a mistake with her potion) Remus pointed his wand at Snape and muttered 'waddiwassi'. All of a sudden, the horned slug that Snape had just added to his potion shot out of the cauldron and straight up his huge crooked nose!  
  
James thought his ribs were going to explode with silent laughter as he heard Snape's yelp of pain. He tried to look innocent and was looking all around the room for the culprit just like everyone else. His eyes fell on Lily, who was grinning at him. 'She knows' he thought, 'how on earth could she know'. He caught Remus' eye, he was looking very smug through his innocent expression and as for Sirius, no one could have looked more delighted. Remus kicked him under the table; he did look quite suspicious. Professor Mechante sent Snape and the girl with the boils off to the Hospital wing and then scanned the room in search of the culprit. James, expecting her to have a go at the class for disrupting their first lesson, tried to force his face into an innocently curious expression. Then, most surprisingly, she smiled at the class. Maybe he'd imagined it, but he thought that her gaze had rested on him a little longer than the others. She set them some homework, to read up on potions for healing skin disorders, and dismissed them, still smiling slightly. "It would seem," said James, incredulously on the way out "that our teacher had a sense of humour." They set off for their next class. 


	6. Professor Mechante

Chapter 6 - Professor Mechante  
  
After that little trick in Potions, James noticed that Remus came out of his shell a little. Everyone wanted to know how to do the spell, and it turned out he was a very good teacher. James thought it must have been because he was so patient, he even got through to Peter (eventually), and that took real patience. James would have given up ages before.  
  
During the first week, James and the other three boys took the time to figure out which teachers were likely to let them get away with things. If they hadn't seen her reaction to Remus' little spell on the first day, James would have been sure that Professor Mechante would have been a huge problem (especially as she was the head of Slytherin, as he found out later), but now they knew that as long as they were careful not to be caught they would be okay in her classes.  
  
It turned out that James' first reaction to Professor McGonagall had been completely accurate. There was no way she would let them get away with a thing. That was a problem, because as of this year, she was the new head of Gryffindor house. The very first lesson, she gave them a lecture, "Transfiguration is an extremely complex and difficult part of your magical education. I demand complete concentration from each and every one of you. The first person to cause any trouble in my class will be shown the door." Then she promptly turned her desk into a pig and back, earning a round of applause, everyone was very impressed, however, she then gave them all a match and told them to turn it into a pin. Fortunately for James, he didn't find it too hard and got it almost immediately, but the others weren't that lucky. At the end of the lesson he was the only person to have managed it. He was feeling quite pleased with himself.  
  
The other teachers, however seemed to be easy enough in their own way. Little Professor Flitwick was a strange but kind little man. He seemed fair. The young woman that taught Herbology, Professor Sprout was incredibly pleasant and jolly, if a little forgetful. Professor Binns was something else. He was the only ghost teacher in the school. James was informed by Arthur that he had fallen asleep in front of the fire in the staff room one night a few years ago and got up to teach, leaving his body behind. His routine had always been the same, alive or dead. James thought this would be a good place to catch up on his sleep! He wasn't sure that he'd have enough energy to even try to liven things up.  
  
Professor Sabio, however, was something else again. She was very clever, you could tell immediately she knew all about the Dark Arts and how to get around them. She also seemed like she could take a joke. James wasn't so sure, but Sirius on the other hand liked to live dangerously!  
  
Professor Sabio had brought a cage with a very unusual looking creature. It was a Redcap and it looked a little like a goblin. Professor Sabio told the class that it was a nasty little creature, which lived on deserted battlefields and the battlements of old castles, anywhere where there'd been bloodshed. The Redcap had a little club, which according to the professor was used to bludgeon anyone who came near it. Sirius seemed to be utterly fascinated by this little thing and was staring intently at it. All of a sudden, though, he whipped out his wand and hissed 'Alohomora'. The door to the cage swung open and with an evil sounding cackle the Redcap sprung out of it's cage and bashed professor Sabio on the head. The class stared, astonished as the professor toppled onto the floor with a thud. Even Sirius had stopped laughing; he'd gone an odd shade of green. Meanwhile, the horrible little creature was ricocheting around the room, cackling madly. The class had stopped staring and were now desperately avoiding being, well bludgeoned to death. James decided he had to do something, especially as the thing was now swinging on the long dark hair of a girl in the front row. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember a single spell,  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa", he heard a voice shouting the flying charm they had just learned in Charms that morning. He looked around for the source of the voice and saw that it was Lily. The Redcap was hovering in the air, chattering wildly, it obviously didn't like being levitated. All of a sudden, she let it go, and fell to the ground with a thud, not unlike the sound Professor Sabio had made when she hit the floor. James peered over at it; it was out for the count. He hurried over and picked it up, stuffing it quickly back into its cage and locking the door before it woke up. With a sigh of relief he turned back to the class and caught Lily's eye. He grinned gratefully at her. She grinned back, an odd sparkle in her green eyes. James just couldn't shake off the feeling that she knew what he knew. It was very odd. Just at that moment, Professor Sabio woke up, and demanded (in a very groggy voice) to know exactly what had happened. James caught Lily's eye and shot her a questioning look. She nodded, and he began to explain,  
  
"Well Professor, you see, the Redcap's cage wasn't locked properly and it managed to push the door open. Then it jumped out and, erm whacked you. Lily managed to knock it out with the charm we learned this morning so I could shove it back into it's cage and lock it properly." He said this very smoothly; he had had lots of practise lying to his parents. He added the winning smile that earned him extra pocket money from family members. The Professor looked slightly puzzled'  
  
"Strange, I could have sworn I'd locked it properly." She looked at James searchingly; it made him feel quite uncomfortable, as though she was looking at something past his face but he tried to keep his face impassive. After a few seconds she seemed satisfied and awarded 30 points to Gryffindor because of how well Lily has dealt with the creature and told them to go to lunch early, so she could go to the infirmary to get a headache cure. 'Aha,' James thought, 'she's trusting.' But as he left he noticed a little smile playing around her mouth and an amused glint in her eye as she watched Sirius, who was still a bit green, pack up his bags and edge out of the room. She was no fool. 


	7. Quidditch Trials

Chapter 7 - Quidditch Trials  
  
It took Sirius a while to get over that lesson. James didn't think it was that surprising really; he had gone a tad over the top. He was still looking a little subdued a week later watching James and Remus playing exploding snap in the Gryffindor common room, until a notice appeared suddenly on the notice board that cheered him up immensely,  
  
Tryouts for the Gryffindor House Quidditch team will take place on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock. All candidates welcome. Report to Harold Lider.  
  
Harold Lider was a 5th year, quite large and captain of the Quidditch team. He was a very good captain, and the team had (apparently) been in the final the last few years. If anyone would play fair and let the most able players on the team then he would, thought James, who really wanted to play, but knew it was most unlikely, as first years rarely got places on the team and he didn't even have his own broom with him as it wasn't allowed. Sirius seemed quite excited at the prospect.  
  
"I can't wait!" He exclaimed, beaming. "You know 1st years haven't got on the team in about 70 years, don't you?" Remus asked. "Yeah, well, I wasn't here before, was I?" Ah, he was back to normal.  
  
Saturday couldn't come soon enough for James, but when it did, he was incredibly nervous. He'd never really played Quidditch. He knew all the rules and he could fly. He'd thrown a quaffle around with his dad a few times, but he really didn't think he'd be good enough for the team. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try.  
  
He walked down to the pitch with Sirius at 2 o'clock, trying to look as though he wasn't utterly terrified, because he knew Sirius would tease him, if only to mask the fact that he, too was nervous. James looked around at the rest of the candidates; they were all different ages and had various degrees of nervousness on their faces. Feeling a little comforted by this, James and Sirius moved to take a seat on the lower seats of the stadium. The Quidditch pitch was a huge field, with three hoops at either end of the pitch about 50 feet up. There were seats raised around the circular pitch so the spectators could see what was going on. He watched as the large figure of Harold Lider walked out of the locker rooms and onto the pitch, facing the possible new recruits. "Hello there, it's so nice to see so many of you here today. I won't mess around, there are only a few spots open, but I won't tell you which until I've seen what you can do." With that he started moving around the crowd, forming two teams and allocating positions. He told James he was built to be a chaser, and Sirius should try being a beater. He then gave school brooms to all the 1st years and those others who didn't have them.  
  
Harold blew the whistle, the broomsticks rose into the air together. James felt much better when he finally got into the air. The thrill of the flight chased away all his nerves. Someone passed him the red football sized ball, the quaffle. He caught it easily, and, seeing he wasn't far from the goal he thought he'd have a go at scoring. He flew forward a little, pretended to throw the ball right, threw it left and it went straight through the middle of the hoop. He didn't know whether to be surprised or pleased, so he settled for a mixture of the two. The rest of the try out went just as well. James scored a few goals, helped some other members of his team score and found that he felt very comfortable. He couldn't remember when he'd had more fun. It was never as exhilarating as this when he'd flown with his father. He dodged bludgers (one or two threatened to come very close to knocking him off the rickety broom he was flying) and avoided members of the opposing team, who weren't all that good, and flying rings around them was far too easy.  
  
At the end of the game he flew down to the ground and climbed off the jittery old broom almost reluctantly. He didn't really want to stop flying, though he was feeling tired and hungry and ready for a hot shower.  
  
Harold dismissed everyone, told them he'd be in touch when he'd made his decisions. James made to go with them, but he called him back. Sirius hesitated, torn between wanting to know what was going on and wanting a good long rest and a meal. "Go on Sirius," James called "I'll be with you in a minute." Sirius grinned at him, and gave him a look as if to say 'you'd better tell me later'. James grinned back and turned to Lider.  
  
"Look James, I'll be honest with you. You're good, the best chaser I've seen in a long time," James grinned at this, he couldn't help feeling pleased with this news "but," he knew it was coming, "we don't have any spots open for chasers this year. Next year'll be different, two of the chasers we do have are 7th years, and I can't kick them out this year." James could tell Lider was trying to be fair, and although he was a bit disappointed, it still felt good to know there was a place for him next year. "I understand." He replied grinning at Harold. Then he turned and followed Sirius up to the castle, because he was suddenly starving! 


	8. Hallowe'en

Chapter 8 - Halloween  
  
James' friends had stared, open mouthed at him when he told them about what Harold had said. Peter and Remus were pleased, Sirius was too of course, but he also seemed a bit jealous. He was also a very good Quidditch player.  
  
"Never mind Sirius, there's always next year, I'm sure there'll be a place for you too." "Thanks James." He said, cheering up slightly, it was depressing seeing him anything but incredibly cheerful!  
  
James couldn't believe he'd been at Hogwarts a whole 2 months already. He was having so much fun. He'd never before caused as much trouble in such a short space of time, and he'd never had friends that were as much fun as Sirius and Remus.  
  
Lessons didn't seem to be causing him too many problems either, he found all the lessons pretty easy, the spells came naturally and he tended to remember pretty much everything he heard or read without any real need to work at it. He found that Sirius was the same, and because of this the two of them found that they had a lot of spare time on their hands. Remus did have to work hard to earn the same grades as he did, and he was often found poring over some book or another, though James had the distinct impression that he didn't find it too much of a hardship, he clearly loved to read. It wasn't like James didn't like reading, but there were so many other things to be done, and why read more than you need to in order to write your essay? Peter, on the other hand needed to work almost constantly in order to stay afloat. James tried to help him as much as he could, but it was so hard. Peter was always saying thing like, "Well or course you find it easy, you're clever. I wish I was clever like you or Sirius or Remus." And then, of course it would be a lot more difficult to try and teach him anything because he was determined that he wouldn't be able to learn. Remus was better at that sort of thing anyway, and James often had to give up and ask him to do it.  
  
The Great Hall was decorated magnificently for Halloween. Pumpkins containing lighted candles were floating all around the walls, and hundreds of live, fluttering bats were flying around the top of the room. The ceiling was looking very beautiful, it was a clear night outside, and the moon was shining unusually brightly, full and white. James and his friends sat down, eagerly anticipating the marvellous feast they knew was coming.  
  
As for James himself, he was looking down the table and contemplating Lily Evans. For a girl with such fiery red hair, she seemed very quiet. She was obviously very clever and always got good marks, but she rarely volunteered information in class and had a circle of two or three good friends. She didn't really seem to mix much. James didn't know why she fascinated him like this, for some reason he just wondered about her.  
  
"Earth to James." He heard a voice in his ear and snapped out of his thoughts. "What were you looking at? Or should that be who?" Sirius teased, looking around. "I was just thinking." He said hurriedly, he didn't want Sirius to follow his line of vision and see who he was looking at. "Where's Remus?" He asked, suddenly realising he wasn't there. "Dunno," replied Sirius, looking genuinely puzzled, "maybe he's ill, or asleep or something." 'Never mind' James thought, they could look for him later.  
  
The feast was marvellous, and James had a great time laughing and joking with Sirius. Peter looked on, seemingly envious of the way James and Sirius had clicked. Suddenly he blanched and elbowed James in the ribs "Snape" he hissed "Ah, hello Severus." Said Sirius smoothly. Snape was glaring at them. He was still seething about the horned slug incident. He knew it had been them, but he couldn't prove it. With him, like a gang of menacing looking bodyguards were Avery, Rosier and Wilkes. James wasn't fazed, he knew Snape wouldn't dream of doing anything there, in plain view of all the teachers. He settled for giving them a disdainful look and sweeping past them to sit at the Slytherin table.  
  
Later, on the way back to their common rooms, James watched as Snape bumped into Lily. She apologised, even though it wasn't really her fault, and James could just hear Snape hiss, "Watch where you're going, you filthy Mudblood!" James stiffened indignantly, and there was an audible gasp from the little crowd that had formed around them. Mudblood was about the rudest insult imaginable and it referred to a witch or wizard of muggle parentage. James started forward, but it soon became evident that Lily didn't need his help; she had slapped him, hard. James started to laugh loudly, the others followed suit. Snape slinked away, embarrassed, he obviously hadn't expected her to stand up to him. James smiled to himself as he made his way to the Gryffindor common room. It seemed she did have the fiery temperament to go with her hair after all.  
  
He met Sirius in the common room and started to tell him about Snape's newest embarrassment, but he stopped abruptly when he saw the look on his face. "I can't find Remus." He said simply, he sounded very worried. "What can we do?" he asked him, wondering if he had wandered somewhere and gotten lost. James didn't much fancy his chances if he got caught by Pringle, the caretaker. He'd be luck to make it back alive. They couldn't just go off looking for him though; it was none of their business if he didn't want to go to dinner. They didn't know what else to do so they decided to play exploding snap for a bit in the common room and wait for him to get back, deciding to ask him when he got back. It got late, and he didn't come.  
  
"I'm tired," James, said, "maybe we should get some sleep." Sirius was too tired to argue. They climbed the stairs sleepily. James was still worried about Remus. If he didn't turn up by the next morning they would have to tell a teacher. James got changed absent-mindedly and fell into bed, only remembering to take his round glasses off at the last minute. 'This isn't the first time.' He thought to himself. About a month ago, Remus had failed to turn up to dinner in much the same way as tonight. I had turned out that he'd been ill and spent the night in the hospital ward, or at least, that's what he's told James and Sirius. Another time, he'd said he'd spent the night wandering round, said he hadn't been tired. Now that James thought about it, it did seem a bit odd. At the time, they hadn't been such good friends, it was about 2 months ago if he remembered rightly and they'd only just met. James was beginning to see a pattern form in his mind, but he fell asleep, and by the next morning he'd forgotten all about it.  
  
He was reminded of Remus' disappearance the next morning at breakfast. He and Sirius had come down to early to find an ill and tired looking Remus picking at a plate of bacon and sausages. "Where've you been all night my lad?" Asked Sirius, in a voice that sounded slightly like Professor McGonagall's harsh Scottish bark. "I was, er, ill again." Remus replied. "I, er, spent the night in the hospital wing." "Well you certainly don't look well Remus," said James, concerned. "It's ok, Madame Pomfrey gave me a potion, and I'm just a bit tired now." He didn't sound too convinced, but James saw that it was pointless to discuss the matter further, and sat down to join him in a plate of bacon and eggs. 


	9. The Whomping Willow

Chapter 9 - The Whomping Willow  
  
As much as he knew he was going to miss his parents (and especially Cara) over the holidays, James decided to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays. The chance to explore the castle and make use of an empty common room was too good to miss. He was very much in the minority though, Peter said his mum wanted him to come home straight away, and Remus said he'd like to stay, but his mother was ill and he needed to take the chance to visit while he could. Sirius however was thinking along the same lines as James. He knew there was fun to be had in a near deserted castle.  
  
James woke up on the first day of the Christmas holidays and went down to the common room. Around him people where bustling around, making sure they had everything they needed before they got on the Hogwarts Express. James and Sirius sauntered down to breakfast taking their time, they were in no rush. They accompanied James and Remus to the front door to say goodbye, "Say hi to your parents for me Peter," James called "I hope your mum gets better soon." Sirius told Remus. "What? Oh, er yeah, thanks. 'Bye." Called Remus. James wasn't the only one who found that response odd. Sirius was looking very puzzled indeed. They waved them off as they got into carriages and watched amazed as they moved off of their own accord, bumping and swaying, one after the other, as though pulled by invisible horses. This very unusual sight quickly made the mystery of Remus' strange response disappear from their heads.  
  
James and Sirius passed the first part of the holidays sitting in the almost deserted common room by day, playing gobstones and exploding snap (and occasionally doing some homework, they might as well have it one when term started) and every evening, when everyone had gone to bed they'd sneak out under James' invisibility cloak to explore the castle. By Christmas Eve, they knew about all the main corridors and rooms, they even knew a few secret ones. "We'll have to tell Remus and Peter when they get back." James said at the end of one particularly fruitful tour of the castle, involving a picture of a one eyed old crone with a hunched back. That one led right out of the castle, it seemed to go on forever and came out in what looked like a cellar. Sirius reckoned it was Honeydukes, the sweet shop in Hogsmeade. James had to take his word for it, because he'd never been to Hogsmeade. Sirius hadn't either, but he said his brothers had told him about it.  
  
Christmas day dawned bright and clear. James opened the curtains and looked out at the grounds. It had snowed that night, and the sun was reflecting off the blanket of white that seemed to cover everything. Even the forbidden forest looked beautiful. He chucked a pillow at Sirius  
  
"Oi, sleepyhead, wake up, you've got presents to unwrap." Sirius got up almost immediately, it seemed the idea of presents was enough to stop him wanting the extra 10 minutes he normally begged for every morning. James laughed at the delighted expression on his face as he looked at his pile of presents and turned his attention to his own little heap.  
  
He had some really great presents; his mum and dad sent him a new, red jumper and a copy of the Daily Prophet newspaper, with information about Puddlemere United's last match. Cara had sent him a box of sweets. James smiled to himself; she'd made them herself. The note said "Come home soon, I miss you big brother." James felt the familiar ache in his stomach; he missed her too. He'd be seeing her soon. He made a mental note to write her a thank you letter very soon and send it with Selene. Maybe that would make her miss him less. There was a bag of dungbombs from Sirius, an ever-bashing boomerang from Remus and a screaming yoyo from Peter. It was a pretty good Christmas, there wasn't much more he could have asked for.  
  
The castle looked beautiful, icicles hung from banisters and the suits of armour around the hall had taken to singing Christmas carols in a tinny sort of tenor. Unfortunately they only knew about half the words. Peeves, the school poltergeist took great pleasure in hiding inside the armour, filling in the gaps with rather rude lyrics of his own invention. James and Sirius found this especially funny. Even better was when the caretaker, an ancient and unpleasantly smelly man called Apollyon Pringle, could be seen clattering around trying to extract him.  
  
Christmas dinner was just amazing. The hall was decorated with 12 Christmas trees decked with real fairies and tiny golden owls, all hooting softly. The sky in the ceiling of the Great Hall was bright and clear, and dry snow was falling gently. When the dinner appeared there was several turkeys, plates of potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and loads of other nice things besides. Christmas pudding followed this almost immediately. All the way through dinner, James heard the occasional loud explosion of a wizard cracker. He himself came away with a pack of exploding snap cards and a clown hat.  
  
After dinner, James and Sirius decided to join in a snowball fight with a couple of the second year Hufflepuffs that had hung around. It was very vicious and James was soaked to the skin within about 10 minutes. It didn't help that someone had put some sort of charm on a couple of the snowballs making them into something like bludgers. They were rocketing around, hitting anyone they could reach. James was more than slightly puzzled by this, as he didn't think anyone present was capable of a charm this complicated. The second year boys, Davey Gudgeon and Cassius Tete were very nice, but not at all bright. He knew it hadn't been Sirius, because he wasn't that good at charms and that was quite a difficult, and he certainly hadn't done it. He looked around, searching for Snape or a mischievous teacher (he thought Professor Mechante was more than likely). He glanced over at the castle and then did a double take. He spotted a pair of brilliant green eyes, a head of deep red hair and a huge grin. 'Lily.' He muttered under his breath, grinning to himself.  
  
He was so deep in thought that he didn't realise that Sirius was trying to get his attention. He was shouting loudly at him from a little way off, and when he realised that didn't work, he made a particularly large, icy snowball and hurled it at the back of James' head.  
  
"Hey, what was that for?" James demanded, angrily rubbing the back of his head. It had hurt. "Look at those twits." Sirius replied, with a snort of laughter, indicating Davey and Cassius.  
  
They were wandering around the Whomping Willow, ducking and crawling below the furiously flailing branches. The Willow was a very recent addition to the Hogwarts ground, the Herbology professor had told them that she was still learning about it. It was an extremely violent tree, and disliked anyone coming anywhere near it. A new game had become rapidly popular among the students, to try and get close enough to touch the trunk. It was very dangerous and incredibly stupid, and James couldn't understand what everyone saw in it. Davey and Cassius seemed to be enjoying themselves though.  
  
All of a sudden, James heard a strangled cry from over by the tree. Davey was lying on the floor, unconscious, with blood all over his face. Sirius' normally rosy cheeks went suddenly pale.  
  
"Go and get Dumbledore," James told him, "Ill get him to the hospital wing." He slapped Cassius round the face (he was more than a little hysterical) and ordered him to get Davey's legs. It was an awkward job, but between them they managed to haul him up to the infirmary quite quickly, Cassius whimpering softly. Dumbledore met them there, looking worried.  
  
"What was he doing?" He demanded of James, who looked to be the only one capable of answering. James told him quickly about the game and about how they had got bored with the snowball fight and decided to try and break the record set by a Slytherin 1st year the previous week. He told him about his and Sirius' part in the incident and Dumbledore looked satisfied.  
  
"Very well Mr. Potter, kindly take Mr. Black to Gryffindor tower and procure him a hot chocolate," his eyes twinkled, he must have known about James' occasional trips to the kitchens for food "I have found that nothing works as well on shock as a hot chocolate and an early night. I think Mr. Tete will need to spend some time here with his friend; he doesn't look at all well. Oh, and 20 points will be given to Gryffindor for your presence of mind."  
  
James was also feeling a bit shocked, so after he'd put Sirius into a chair by the fire and called for someone to watch him, he set off, rather shakily to the kitchens, under the cover of his fantastic cloak returning as quickly as he could with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and pockets bulging with cream cakes that the house elves had not been able to resist plying him with. He hurried through the portrait hole and plonked himself in the comfy chair next to his unusually quiet and pale best friend and tried to sooth his shattered nerves.  
  
For a while, neither of them spoke. James was reluctant to try and make Sirius talk if he didn't want to, but after a while he spoke or his own accord,  
  
"You know, when I was little, my mum was always telling me to stop or I'd put my eye out. I always thought it was just a threat to stop me playing with the meat cleaver or flying through the forest on my dad's broom." James rolled his eyes "I never thought it could actually happen." He looked rather worried, quite unlike his normal carefree self, "Don't worry Sirius, Davey'll be fine, Madame Pomfrey is wonderful, remember the time she managed to get rid of all those boils Peter got when he accidentally stood on Snape's foot?" Sirius managed a chuckle at the memory of Peter's curse (and the jelly legs curse Sirius had put on Snape in retaliation; he's wobbled about the whole day until one of the 4th years took pity on him and performed the counter curse).  
  
A week later, when everyone had returned from his or her Christmas holidays, Dumbledore stood up at dinner with an unusually grave expression on his face,  
  
"It has recently come to my attention that some of the pupils in this school have become involved in a rather dangerous game that involves tormenting a certain Whomping willow." A few younger pupils shifted in their seats uneasily. "Due to the fact that young Davey Gudgeon almost lost on eye on Christmas day playing that particular game, I must insist that everyone stays away from that tree from now on, or there will be penalties."  
  
The room broke into excited chatter. Most didn't know whether they were worried about Davey's accident or upset that they would no longer be able to play their new game again. Sirius and Peter both looked very relieved at the pronouncement, but Remus, he noticed in surprise, looked unaccountably guilty. 


	10. The Marauders are Born

Chapter 10 - The Marauders are born.  
  
Although Peter wanted to hear all about Davey Gudgeon's accident (so he could avoid doing the same thing), Remus was very reluctant to pursue the topic. Instead he asked Sirius and James about their adventures in the castle during the holidays. Sirius happily related to them the stories of their trips to the kitchens, told them about all the strange rooms they'd seen and about the secret passages. Remus was torn between fascination at their discoveries and horror at how easily they could have been caught wandering around the castle every night. "We'll show you, tonight." Sirius muttered to Remus and Peter. Peter whimpered and Remus looked pale and determined, it was almost as though he was reluctant to overrule Sirius.  
  
"Ssh." James had suddenly noticed Snape; he'd been walking past the table and had stopped. He was listening intently. Had he heard? The thought made James feel uncomfortable. He tried to tell Sirius, but he brushed it aside. "He couldn't have heard, I barely heard and I said it."  
  
So it was decided, that night the four of them sat in the common room, waiting until it emptied. James was sitting on his invisibility cloak, chattering with Sirius, ignoring Peter's frightened whimpering and Remus' paler than usual complexion. It took a while for all the stragglers to leave, there were a couple of older students frantically trying to finish a piece of work that they obviously hadn't done over the holiday like they were supposed too. James was feeling edgy, wandering a near deserted castle by night was one thing, but this was going to be harder with everyone back.  
  
Finally the room was empty. James stood up, and trying not to let the others see that he was nervous, he flung the invisibility cloak over them all, and slowly they inched out of the portrait hole and into the hall.  
  
It was hard work under the cloak. The four of them had to move slowly, carefully and quietly (which was hard, considering Peter stood on someone's toes at least once every five minutes). It seemed to take forever to reach the statue. They took the cloak off and James fought back a sigh of relief. He was just preparing to whisper the word that opened up the old crone's hump when he heard soft footsteps; they were very near. James fumbled for the cloak and made to throw it over the four of them. Unfortunately, he only managed to get it over Remus and Peter before the footsteps turned the corner and they found themselves facing Severus Snape.  
  
He was wearing a triumphant expression that twisted his normally ugly face into something extremely hideous. James was the first to regain his composure "Well hello there Severus, this is a pleasant surprise." "Potter," he hissed, "Black, what are you doing here?" "We could ask you the same thing Snape." Sirius almost spat the last word. James was quite alarmed; he didn't think Sirius' voice could possibly contain that much venom. "Well, I believe that Professor McGonagall would be very interested to find her two prize pupils out of bed in the middle of the night." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Ah, she certainly would, almost as interested as she'd be if she found their friend Severus Snape with them." The tone of James' voice was almost identical to Snape's sarcastic hiss. Snape didn't seem to be able to think of a retort to this, he obviously hadn't thought of the possibility of getting himself in trouble too. He opened his mouth to say something, and closed it again. James repressed a laugh as he realised he looked remarkably like a fish. Sirius wasn't so careful, he laughed outright. James shot him a warning look, and he stopped, but it was too late, a figure had just come round the corner. It was Professor Mechante.  
  
The alarm on Snape's face quickly disappeared when he realised it was the head of Slytherin House and was replaced with a smug sort of expression. James had often heard Snape mention that Professor Mechante favoured Slytherin students and he clearly believed this was the proper thing to do.  
  
She looked from one face to the other, a glint in her dark eyes. James thought for a second that it looked like amusement, but then, he realised that was being stupid. They were in huge trouble. There was nothing even remotely amusing about the situation. He felt behind him to see if Remus and Peter were still there. He couldn't feel anything, so he assumed they'd left. Two people from one house could lose enough points between them; he didn't want them to be in trouble too, neither of them handled it very well anyway, and he was not in the mood to deal with Peter's hysterics.  
  
They followed Professor Mechante to her office in silence, she was wearing a long black nightdress, and it made her look no less threatening. She shut the door behind them and motioned for them to sit. She then took a seat behind her desk and looked at them intently, her chin resting on her hands thoughtfully. It was a full minute before she removed her penetrating gaze. James, for one, was relieved. She made him feel more than slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"I could ask you why you were out wandering the corridor in the middle of the night, but I know I would not receive a truthful answer, so as it is late I will save myself the trouble. I will however take 30 points from Gryffindor and 20 from Slytherin for this escapade and all three of you will receive detentions. You will report to Pringle in the trophy room tomorrow night." She dismissed them, and James was sure, that time that he'd seen that glint again. Snape stalked out, he was furious at this complete lack of favouritism. Sirius followed him. James made to leave too, but Mechante called him back,  
  
"Potter, do you think in the future you and your fellow marauders could refrain from being caught wandering the corridors at night, especially by me. As much as I enjoy your little jokes, I may have to tell Min- er Professor McGonagall next time, and I don't really want to be the one to do that. "Er, certainly Professor." James couldn't believe what he was hearing. It seemed Professor Mechante had one of the very special Slytherin traits, a complete lack of loyalty. His first impression had been right, they'd be okay with her, as long as they weren't caught.  
  
James left, amazed and walked silently back to Gryffindor tower with Sirius; they couldn't risk Professor McGonagall catching them out. They slipped back into the tower, (narrowly escaping a lecture from the fat lady) and found Remus and Peter in their dormitory. They listened intently to everything that had happened and none of them could believe James' story about what Mechante had said to him. Sirius looked thoughtful, "Marauders, eh?" He asked. "It has a nice ring to it." 


	11. Wands at Dusk

Chapter 11 - Wands at Dusk  
  
"I can't believe she's making us do our detention with Snape." They were on their way to the trophy room for their detention and Sirius was complaining loudly, "Do you remember what I said on our first day?" James replied. "It seems our teacher has a sense of humour, and a cruel one at that. At least we weren't suspended." Sirius chuckled and stopped complaining.  
  
That day, at breakfast, Snape had given them such a vicious, snarling look that Peter had almost collapsed in fright. He was very bitter about the previous night and seemed determined that 'The Marauders' should take all the blame. James laughed, it wasn't their fault Snape liked to stick his over large nose in everyone else's business. If he'd stayed in bed instead of wandering around trying to get them expelled, he wouldn't have been in trouble. As for James, he couldn't believe they'd got off so lightly. He shuddered to think how many points McGonagall would have taken from them if she had been the one to catch them, they'd have been on detention for about a month, too.  
  
He'd spent the day as normal, only half paying attention in lessons and giving Snape amused looks whenever he got the chance. He had, however, also devoted a lot of time to avoiding Lily Evans. She'd caught his eye in Charms, first lesson, and James had once again got the feeling she knew everything. It was most disconcerting. He was dying to know where she got her information.  
  
In the trophy room, James and Sirius met a rather sour looking Severus Snape, "You're late." He hissed. "We're to polish the trophies by hand, no magic. Pringle said to leave when we're done and if they're not clean when he inspects them tomorrow we'll get a week of detentions." James realised that this would be all the conversation they would get out of Snape that evening, and set to work polishing the Quidditch cup.  
  
After a while, Snape spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I do hope your thin little friend is feeling better. He does seem to be ill a lot doesn't he? Perhaps it's serious. Maybe he'll die." He almost crowed the last part. Sirius growled at him, and James had to grab his robes to hold him back, but he was losing his cool too. "You'd love that, wouldn't you Snape?" He snapped at him. "Well it's almost regular, isn't it? He's such a weakling." Snape carried on, he had the advantage and he was pressing it. "Maybe next time it'll be really bad." Sirius gave a loud snarl of rage and whipped out his wand, "Petrificus Totalus." He yelled. At the same time, Sirius had also shouted something, and a jet of green light had emitted from his wand. Sirius toppled to the floor, his arms and legs stuck to his sides. Snape seemed unhurt, except for the stream of mucus that seemed to be pouring out of his nose, it was so funny watching him trying to stem the flow of his enthusiastically running nose that James couldn't help laughing.  
  
James didn't have the first clue about what to do. If he went get a teacher, Sirius would get in trouble for cursing Snape and they were already in enough trouble as it was. He stood there, looking at the result of this impromptu duel, wondering what the best course of action would be. He came to a decision suddenly. He performed the counter curse on Snape, who promptly started threatening James with all sorts of curses, jinxes and finally with telling a teacher. James grinned at the furious look on Snape's face,  
  
"Yes 'Snivellous', you go and tell a teacher. You can explain why you're perfectly fine and there's nothing wrong with you and Sirius here can't move and I will tell everyone what a snivelling little sneak you are. I suggest you finish polishing your trophy and go to your common room. Tell nobody, or you'll be in trouble." Snape seemed to see the sense in this and left, glowering at James as he swooped out the door. James glanced around the room and out of the door to check for Pringle, seeing he wasn't there, he performed a quick spell to polish the trophies, and when he was satisfied they were all gleaming, he took Sirius back to the common room, still walking fairly stiffly. James had performed the counter curse but he was still a little rusty, the full body bind is a fairly advanced spell, and James hadn't had a chance to master it properly yet.  
  
Back in their dorm room, James told Peter all about what had happened, who listened, open-mouthed. He looked terrified that Snape knew such a horrible spell and loudly expressed a vehement hope that Snape had not taught that curse to anyone else. During this conversation, Sirius said nothing. He was sitting on his bed, stretching all of his limbs in turn, desperately trying to get his body to work properly. James decided that this was something that worked itself out after a while, which was lucky, because he didn't really want to take Sirius to the infirmary. He didn't much fancy explaining to Madame Pomfrey why Sirius was had been subjected to the full body bind curse. Sirius however didn't look like he felt very lucky.  
  
It took a while for James to realise there was someone missing. "Peter, where's Remus?" He asked. "I don't know," came the reply "maybe he's ill again."  
  
That night as James lay awake in bed, he remembered Snape's words "Well it's almost regular, isn't it?" As much as he hated to admit it, Snape had been right, there was definitely something odd about Remus' illness. It seemed to be happening often, and at regular intervals. There's no way he could be faking it, because he often looked very tired and haggard, very much like he was recovering from a very bad bout of the flu. James sighed and closed his eyes; he was going to have to get some answers out of Remus. It was bothering him, he felt as though he should understand something about the situation, as if the answer was buried away in his mind and all he had to do was find it. 


	12. What's the Matter with Remus?

Chapter 12 - What's the matter with Remus?  
  
It wasn't as though that was the last time Remus disappeared without a trace. Over the next few months, Remus went to visit his mother at least three times, James was really starting to worry about her, she must have been really ill. But it wasn't only his mother that was ill; Remus was looking terrible, tired, drawn and pale. James supposed that the task of looking after his mother was wearing him thin. His smile had lost its mischievous quality and had been replaced with a vague sort of gesture, only slightly reminiscent of the grin it had once been. His manner hadn't changed much. He still wanted to be involved in every hare-brained scheme Sirius or James came up with, and he always carried off his part with every semblance of enthusiasm and cheerfulness, but James noticed that it wasn't quite the same anymore. He seemed cheerful enough, but James could tell that if this façade were scratched away they'd find a very sad Remus Lupin.  
  
James went home for Easter, (Cara had threatened never to speak to him if he didn't), but he didn't get to spend much time with his family, as the absolutely huge pile of homework they'd been given just didn't seem to end. Still, it was nice to see her again, and his parents (and the bag of galleons his dad slipped him behind his mother's back was very useful too) and he was a bit sad to leave them. Never mind, it wouldn't be long until summer, as he told a tearful Cara several times on Platform 9¾ at the end of the holiday.  
  
Back at the castle, he greeted his three friends happily. As sad as he was to leave his family, it was great to be at Hogwarts. He predicted that this last term would be big for the Marauders. He couldn't have been more right, but he didn't know it yet.  
  
It only took a week into the new term for Remus to disappear. James wished he'd tell them before he went to visit his mother. But Remus had just been home; surely he didn't need to return only a week later. He wondered if Remus' mother had taken a turn for the worst. James was staring out of the common room window as he contemplated this. It was beautiful night, the stars were bright and clear and the full moon was throwing a pale, shivery light onto the grounds. James glanced casually around, he wasn't really looking, he was too deep in thought, wondering what on earth could be wrong with Mrs Lupin, but out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he'd seen the branches of the Whomping Willow flailing madly, but who'd be out at that time, if the Marauders didn't dare venture out onto the grounds this late, then no one else was likely to. He turned his head to get a better look at the Willow, but it was perfectly still, and looked completely harmless. James shook his head, what was wrong with him he was seeing things. He mentally shook himself and went down to the dormitory, but he just couldn't shake the feeling of unease.  
  
The next day, James, Sirius and Peter went down to breakfast. Sirius was telling Peter all about the time put muggle itching powder in his teacher's trousers at primary school. James was still thinking about Remus' disappearance, until Sirius snapped him out of it. He was wearing a thoughtful expression (one he seldom wore in class, so James predicted he'd have a detention by the end of the day) as he suggested putting itching powder in Snape's robes. James couldn't see the harm in it, and agreed, and the three of them walked to the Great Hall together, happily plotting how to get the itching powder into Snape's robes, Sirius was only the ideas man, and the mundane processes of practicality was always left to James and Remus, Peter was useless. All he was good for was telling them how clever they were for thinking up such a great trick.  
  
Remus was at breakfast that morning, but he looked terrible. He looked more ill than James had ever seen him. He gave them a vague smile and gestured to the seats he'd saved for them.  
  
"How's your mum?" James asked, as soon as they sat down. He was very worried, and he was sure that at least some of his concern showed in his voice and face. "She's feeling better now, thank you." Remus' reply was prompt enough, but James saw through it, he wasn't telling the truth. He wondered whether his mum was really ill, if she was she must be seriously unwell, and he contemplated the idea that maybe something else was going on. He snapped himself out of his thoughts, deciding that Remus would tell them what was going on in his own time and joined in the conversation. Remus seemed to have come up with a plan to get the itching powder into Snape's robes.  
  
The plan itself was simple; it was going to be the execution that would be the problem. James (as the quietest) would be under the invisibility cloak; while the other three caused a distraction he would pour it down his neck. There was no way Sirius could be trusted to be silent, he'd have giggled, Peter would have been too terrified and Remus, well, he wouldn't have been able to bring himself to do it. He was simply too nice.  
  
It didn't go too badly either, Sirius swapped Snape's wand for a fake one before he went to charms, and while he tried to cast the 'Alohomora' or unlocking charm that Sirius had used to let the redcap out in Defence against the Dark Arts with a rubber fish, James sneaked into the class under the cloak. He tiptoed behind Snape, avoiding touching anyone or anything, and tipped a large amount of the muggle itching powder down the neck of the robes of Snape, who was already muttering curses under his breath. He snuck back out of the door, taking off his cloak, joining his friends who were watching the action, first destroying the evidence by transfiguring it into a quill (fortunately James really had a knack for Transfiguration).  
  
Then the fireworks started. Snape swore loudly, and everyone's eyes turned to look at him. He was wriggling about like a fish out of water, writhing and shouting, trying to scratch himself in five places at once. The good thing about itching powder is that wizards rarely have any idea how to deal with it. At least, James thought all eyes were on Snape, but he felt someone's eyes on the back of his head and he turned to look and found himself staring into those brilliant emerald green eyes again and felt himself blush and turn away. It was almost like being naked. He felt sure that Lily knew he'd done it, but how could she, and how could she know they were going to be there. He made a mental note to ask the others if they were telling her their plans, but why on earth would they? 


	13. The Quidditch Final

Chapter 13 - The Quidditch Final  
  
James had been wrong when he'd thought this trick was going to get them a detention. There was simply no proof that the 'Marauders' had had anything to do with it. Professor Flitwick had ushered Snape off to the hospital wing, fortunately he'd been too preoccupied as he rushed past, wriggling frantically, to notice four boys, all doubled up in silent laughter. The thing with muggle tricks (as Sirius gleefully informed them all) was that wizards didn't have a clue how to handle them, and often they were just as effective as magic ones. James agreed with him, he had never seen anything as funny as Snape's writhing.  
  
The next Saturday was the Quidditch final, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Gryffindor had pummelled Slytherin into the ground at the last match, and the entire Gryffindor house was really looking forward to winning, it had been a long time since the team had won the cup. James was really looking forward to the game, especially as he knew he would be playing in the first game next year.  
  
The Gryffindor stand went wild as the team walked onto the pitch in their scarlet Quidditch robes. James and his friends were, of course, among them. He was sitting quite high up with Sirius, Remus and Peter. A few seats away from them, he spotted Lily sitting with her friend, James didn't know what her name was. He didn't know why he'd noticed this. He shook himself and turned his attention back to the match.  
  
The commentary was being provided by a 7th year Hufflepuff who played beater on the house team, Ludo Bagman. He always seemed to love commentating, and his big round face seemed even redder and rounder than usual when he had the magical megaphone in his hands.  
  
"And they're off, Gryffindor takes the Quaffle." James was really enjoying the match (especially since Gryffindor had pulled ahead by 50 points in the first ten minutes. Lider had been right when he'd said their chasers were good. The Ravenclaw three didn't seem to be able to get a look in. Lider was particularly good, he had scored three of the five goals so far, and all his manoeuvres and orders seemed to be working well. The Gryffindor beaters were very good too. The Ravenclaw chasers were looking distinctly bruised and battered.  
  
He glanced over at Lily (why did he keep doing that?), and he noticed she was pointing to something. He followed her arm to a point on the pitch, and at first he couldn't understand what she was looking at, and then he saw it, a tiny glint of gold in the distance, the snitch. He never would've seen it if it hadn't been pointed out to him. He couldn't imagine how Lily had managed to see it. He didn't have time to think about it, however, as with a cry of;  
  
"Oh, I do say" from Bagman, he watched as the two seekers streaked down the field, chasing the tiny, winged golden snitch. They were neck and neck, neither seemed willing to stretch out an am to try and grab it in case to hindered their speed. The crowd gasped as one, as a bludger shot towards them at high speed. The Ravenclaw seeker doubled over as it smashed into her stomach, causing her to roll over on her broom only just hanging on. In her pain, she had lost the snitch, but fortunately for her (and not so lucky for the Gryffindor team) she had smashed right into the Gryffindor seeker and both of them lost sight of the snitch. There was a huge groan of disappointment from all corners of the stands (except for the Slytherins, who laughed nastily, they didn't really want anyone to win).  
  
"And after that, er, rather unfortunate incident," Bagman resumed commentating with a distinctly flustered tone "we resume play, Ravenclaw has the quaffle."  
  
Delighted with the fact that Gryffindor hadn't got the snitch, the Ravenclaw chasers were playing much more aggressively, Gryffindor was a very good team, and Ravenclaw knew they had their work cut out for them. They were pulling back, 50 points to 20, to 30 and very soon it was even. James looked over at Lily again, and she was, once again, pointing to the snitch. At least, he assumed it was, he couldn't actually see it. He grabbed his binoculars and scanned the pitch where Lily was pointing, and, sure enough, there it was. How on earth could Lily see that with the naked eye? This time only one of the seekers had seen it. The Ravenclaw one, as James realised with a start. The Gryffindor seeker soon realised and gave chase, but it was too late. With a triumphant cry and a victory lap of the pitch, the Ravenclaw team had won the Quidditch cup.  
  
The team and its supporters walked dejectedly back to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
Back in the common room, they met a very strange scene. Sybill Trelawny, a 5th year, was sitting by the fire, surrounded by he three friends (James didn't know their names) and they seemed to be holding something like a séance. Sybill stood up and greeted the gathering crowd (who were all looking on incredulously) in her incredibly misty voice.  
  
James noticed that she looked remarkably like an insect. Perhaps a firefly or something like that. She was tall and thin and delicate looking and she wore huge glasses that made her eyes at least three times as big and reflected the flames from fire. She was wearing countless gold bangles and chains; she looked like a walking jewellery shop.  
  
"I would like to invite anyone interested to have their fortunes read. I believe there are secrets among you that my inner eye can lay bare." Sirius snorted with laughter before volunteering. James joined in too; he thought it'd be fun. It was certainly something to do. Peter seemed quite worried but sat down too, Remus looked more scared and flustered than James had ever though possible, and he practically ran up to their dormitory, and Peter, looking relieved, ran after him.  
  
James couldn't figure out what was so terrifying about Sybill Trelawny. She was a bit weird (okay, very weird) but she was just a girl. Anyway this whole fortune-predicting thing could be funny. Sybill had a reputation for believing herself to be brilliant at Divination and had told everyone she was a 'Seer'. It was rumoured that her great great grandmother (or something like that) had actually been a real Seer, but it didn't seem like Sybill had the gift somehow. She told Sirius he was going to settle down, marry a nice girl and get a respectable job. He was going to be trampled down by a rampaging Hippogriff when he finally met his end. He'd told James his end would be much nearer, indeed, she said she saw the grim in her crystal ball. This would ordinarily have disconcerted James. The Grim was a huge dog that haunted graveyards and was believed by most wizards to be the worst omen of death. But Sybill had said Sirius was going to get a respectable job, so James didn't really think much of her skills at predictions. He didn't really believe in fortune telling anyway.  
  
He wondered a lot about Remus, about why he'd ran off like that. Maybe he really did believe that Sybill could see the future and was afraid of what she might see. Perhaps he had a secret he didn't want her to 'lay bare'. He went up to talk to him, but he was asleep, or at least, it looked like he was. He decided he'd ask him tomorrow. 


	14. Remus' Secret

Chapter 14 - Remus' Secret  
  
James felt like tearing his hair out in frustration. Remus was getting harder and harder to read. He refused to tell them anything. He had disappeared again that night, and hadn't told them. James assumed he was visiting his mother again, but why would he disappear like that without telling anyone if that was all he was doing? James thought hard, but nothing came to him. What could possibly be so terrible that Remus wouldn't tell them about it?  
  
He made a decision. "Sirius, wake up. Get up! Oi, get out of bed." James was almost shouting. "Wha? James, what're you playing at?" "Come on Sirius, we're going to find Remus." "But he's at his home, isn't he?" Sirius sounded very confused. "I don't think so." Said James. He told Sirius all about the things he'd thought about recently, and he watched Sirius' expression change from puzzled to intrigued. "Yeah, it has been weird, hasn't it?" He said. "Let's go."  
  
They threw their robes on quietly and threw the cloak over them both. They were just about to leave the dorm when Peter stirred. "Where are you going?" He asked, sleepily. "Kitchens, go back to sleep, we'll bring you something." James lied quickly, Peter wasn't exactly useful when they were on their nighttime wanderings, and two people could move faster than three anyway.  
  
They searched everywhere; they looked in the hospital wing first, then all their classrooms, and then the library (it was Remus' home away from home). They were just about to give up when James had an idea. Well, it was more like a feeling really.  
  
He and Sirius approached the Whomping Willow cautiously. It was still now, but James knew that it wouldn't be much longer if Sirius and he got too close to it. Just as he had expected, the tree started to whip about violently, and James wondered to himself why they'd come out to that particular place. He couldn't answer himself. He'd just felt the need to look here.  
  
He was about to suggest to Sirius that they should give up and go back to bed, that he noticed Sirius was no longer with him. He was walking around the tree, poking it thoughtfully with a long stick. "I think I've invented a new game. If you can get a stick on a certain knot on the branch you get a point or something. It's really hard because the tree seems to want to break the branch to bits."  
  
James laughed at Sirius' stupid new game, and challenged him to touch the knot at the bottom of the tree, it looked particularly difficult as it was small and low down, and quite out of the way. Sirius took up the challenge enthusiastically. Then the strangest thing happened.  
  
The tree stopped moving the minute Sirius touched the knot and a hole opened up at the base. James looked at Sirius, astounded. They exchanged a look, and, without discussing it, they moved forward and into the tree.  
  
Ahead of them they saw a passage, it looked about as long as the one to Hogsmeade they'd discovered at Christmas. They had to crouch down to get through. It seemed to go on forever, but James' curiosity was insatiable. He just had to know where it went and what they'd find when they got there.  
  
When they finally reached the end they found a door, they looked at each other one last time. Sirius nodded, he looked quite excited. James was quite excited himself, but he also couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. He felt somehow that there was something different about this passage to the others they had found. He tried to tell Sirius, but he couldn't put the feeling into words, so he just nodded back. They opened the door, wands out, and saw the most terrifying thing they'd ever seen.  
  
A Werewolf.  
  
James couldn't believe what he was seeing. He knew he should be running as fast as he could in the other direction, but he was rooted to the spot. Sirius was staring, open mouthed, pale and terrified. The Werewolf turned and growled at them.  
  
James was jolted back to his senses. He put the leg locker curse on the wolf, he had no idea if it would work, and he didn't really want to hang around to find out. He grabbed Sirius by the arm, ran back through the door and slammed it shut. Then running as fast as they could at a crouch for the way out. The hole in the tree opened in front of them and they shot out. James made sure to touch the knot again and the hole closed up, and the tree froze.  
  
James and Sirius collapsed onto the grass a few feet away from the Whomping Willow, breathing heavily with a mixture of exhaustion and fright. What on earth was a Werewolf doing at Hogwarts? Was it a human werewolf or a natural one?  
  
"We should tell Dumbledore." James said, but even as the words left his mouth he had doubts. Sirius voiced them "We probably should but I don't think he'd take too kindly to us being out wandering the grounds at night. We almost got mauled tonight, I think I could do without a detention as well." He was right of course, so they decided not to tell Dumbledore.  
  
They did, however tell Peter and Remus. Both boys changed colour. Peter blanched, and didn't even pretend to be angry with them for leaving him out of their adventure. Remus went red. He squirmed in is seat and had a guilty look on his face. "Remus, what's wrong, why do you look so guilty." James asked, looking curiously at him. "Oh, well, er, I, er shouldn't have gone to see my mother, I er should've stayed and went with you. I might have been able to help, I know lots about werewolves." He stammered his reply, and it was so unlike the usual, articulate, pleasant Remus Lupin that James was startled. He was right of course, Remus probably did know a lot about Werewolves, he was better at Defence Against Dark Arts than all of them put together. James got very good marks, as he did in all his lessons, but James only knew what he needed to in order to pass with a high mark, Remus knew so much more, it was more than an aptitude, more like an enthusiasm.  
  
The night after they'd met the werewolf, the four of them were noticeably subdued. James was in a thoughtful mood, and he was thinking about that werewolf. Why was it there, why wasn't it in the forbidden forest or something, that was where the werewolves were supposed to live.  
  
And then it hit him, a spark of realisation; he remembered why they'd been out there in the first place and all the pieces fell into place. What if they had found Remus after all? 


	15. The End of the Beginning

Chapter 15 - The End of the Beginning.  
  
Remus paled. James had woken him up early, and the other two boys too. He needed to have it out with him.  
  
"You're a werewolf." James said; it wasn't a question. Remus looked petrified, and paler and more ill than ever. Sirius was gawping at James and Remus, and Peter looked as though he was about to faint.  
  
"Yes I am." He replied, he seemed defeated, and sounded incredibly sad. "I was very little when I was bitten, and I lived in a small village full of wizarding families. I could never make friends because of what I am. I was ignored, abused and beaten up regularly. That's why when I came to Hogwarts I didn't tell anyone. I couldn't take the rejection. I knew I'd never have friends again if anyone knew I was a, a, a monster." He spat the last word out as though it tasted bitter. James was astounded. How could he have believed he wouldn't what to be friends with him after he found out? "How did you find out?"  
  
"Remus, I can't believe you think that. I want to be your friend, I really do, I just wish you'd told us sooner. It wasn't too hard to work out. You're a terrible liar and you disappeared once a month when there's a full moon. You look ill and tired afterwards, but it's ok. I don't mind." James said, trying to sound soothing. Remus looked up, hopefulness etched all over his face; it was as though he'd never dared to believe that this response could ever be possible.  
  
"Yeah Remus," Sirius was speaking now, he'd stopped gawking, "I still want to be your friend too. Is there anything we can do to help? Is there anything that makes it easier?" James had been thinking the same thing. He knew the transformations were supposed to be painful, and Remus always returned looking very ill. He wanted to help if he could. In whatever way he could.  
  
Peter hadn't said anything yet. James gave him a warning look, that clearly said 'if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.' Peter gave a whimper and huddled under the blankets, cowering. He seemed terrified. How could he be scared of Remus? There was no one more polite, more articulate or more conscientious and there was certainly no one as nice.  
  
Remus looked happier at that moment than he'd ever looked. "I didn't dare believe you'd accept me. I couldn't bring myself to tell you in case you hated me for it. I loved having friends. I didn't want to risk it." "Well it seems, my dear Remus, that telling us was the best thing you ever did. James and I will be much better friends now we know, and we'll be able to make your disappearances more convincing. Tell me Remus; is your mum really ill?" Remus shook his head, looking a bit ashamed of himself. Sirius grinned wickedly. "You always were a terrible liar Remus Lupin, I think it's my turn to play the role of teacher." They got changed and headed downstairs to breakfast, laughing. James called to them that he'd be with them in a minute and turned his attention to the quivering wreck that was Peter.  
  
"Get a grip on yourself." James said softly, almost dangerously. He was very worried that Peter would say something stupid and confirm Remus' suspicions that people wouldn't want to be friends with him if they knew what he was. "There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just Remus, he hasn't changed over night. You should trust your friend enough to know he's not like they describe werewolves. You shouldn't believe everything you hear Peter, people who write books don't always know best." With that he went down to breakfast, hoping Peter would join them soon. He didn't want him to be a problem.  
  
Remus was chatting merrily with Sirius at breakfast. He was still a bit pale with the shock of it all, but he also seemed very happy. James joined them, and that morning they had the best breakfast in ages. James held his breath as Peter approached the table. As always, he was a loose cannon. James breathed a sigh of relief as Peter sat down next to him and smiled at Remus. "You're right." Was all he said to him, and James felt more warmly to Peter at that moment than he had in a long time.  
  
What little was left of the year disappeared almost immediately. Before they knew it, trunks were packed, rooms were empty and animals were hooting, hissing and croaking in their cages. They had their exam results; James was pleasantly surprised to find he'd passed everything with very high marks. He was torn between sadness at leaving the place where he'd had more fun than he'd ever had in his life, and happiness that he'd soon be seeing his parents and his wonderful little sister again. At breakfast on the last day, James, Sirius and Remus had snuck down to the kitchen, and while Sirius was distracting the house elves Remus and James had slipped fizzing whizzbees in the sausages and before they knew it, people were levitating all over the room. Professor Dumbledore included. His eyes twinkled in James' direction. He smiled innocently back. He was also levitating, it would have looked too suspicious if they were the only ones still in their seats.  
  
Dumbledore muttered an incantation, created no doubt, to counter this particular phenomenon. It can't have been the first time this had happened (but probably not on such a grand scale).  
  
On the train, the boys hurried to find an empty compartment. They wanted to discuss Remus' problem and what they could do about it. Sirius looked uncharacteristically serious as he asked Remus to tell them about his affliction and any ways they could help to make it more bearable.  
  
"Well, every month Madame Pomfrey takes me to the Whomping Willow and the shrieking shack in Hogsmeade. You know the screams and howls the villagers have been hearing recently? I made them. The transformation is very painful, and because there are no humans to bite, I bite and scratch myself instead." He sounded very miserable. "No human can go anywhere near me while I'm like that. I'm a monster. I don't think there's anything you can do to help me."  
  
"No human eh?" Sirius said. What was he talking about? "Look, I think I've had an idea, but I'm not sure if it'll work, so I won't tell you about it just now because I don't want to get your hopes up. Have a think about it over the summer and I'll tell you when I see you next if I think it's possible. Okay?" James really wanted to know what he had in mind, but he didn't want to get Remus' hopes up either. Remus did seem more cheerful after Sirius' announcement, although that was probably because he had three friends who were willing to do whatever was in their power to help them. James could see he was very grateful. He smiled at Remus, who grinned back.  
  
They passed the rest of the journey quietly. They couldn't really talk anymore because people were running up and down the train and popping in and out of their compartment. Instead they had a few games of exploding snap, and chattered happily about their plans for the holidays. Sirius was going to Greece with his parents to visit a random member of his family, he was quite vague about it, said it was an uncle or something who worked for the Department of International Magical Co-operation in the Ministry of Magic and he had some task or another to do in Greece. Sirius wasn't too clear with the details. Whatever it was, James was sure Sirius would come back with a great tan! Peter was going to France with his parents. He wasn't really looking forward to it though. As far as James knew, he wasn't doing anything special this holiday. Neither was Remus. James suggested they all get together at some point in the holidays.  
  
"Look, if anyone gets bored, you're always welcome at my house. Just send me an owl first." The other boys grinned back at James as the train pulled up in Platform 9 ¾. He waved goodbye to them all as he met his parents and was just about to go when he spotted Lily with her parents and very sulky sister. He caught her eye and smiled. She smiled back, and James got that strange feeling again. That exposed feeling. She knew something.  
  
No, she knew everything!  
  
Thank you for reading. And thank you to all of you who have reviewed. I enjoyed writing this story very much, and there's a sequel that I will be starting to post very shortly so please go on to read that next. It will continue James' story into his second year. 


	16. Authors Note aka Shameless Plug!

Authors Note;

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story. This is simply a shameless plug to get you to read the sequel, which I will be posting in a day or so. It continues James' story, see his Quidditch skills develop, his relationship with his sister become sweeter, learn with him as he starts to learn to become an Animagus and see him start to learn about his feelings for Lily. All this and more in the next instalment.

Disclaimer;

I do not claim to own most of the characters, settings and situations in this story, these are the sole property of JK Rowling, her publishers and Warner Brothers.

That's all for now, don't forget to review!

Live, love, and most importantly, be happy 


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